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Party conference season: the aftermath in Westminster

The party conference season has drawn to a close for another year. MPs are back in Westminster and the political news agenda is now shifting towards the Budget in a month’s time. But after our Strategic Communications team and others spent a few weeks on the road attending the conferences, it’s worth asking: what is the legacy now everyone is back in Westminster? Chris Peacock, Director, Strategic Communications shares his views.

The rumoured challenge to Keir Starmer has evaporated like a wet sparkler. Kemi Badenoch emerged from the Conservative conference with her reputation enhanced, thanks to a surprise policy announcement on Stamp Duty, but rumours of how long she will remain Leader persist, with Robert Jenrick still looming in her rear-view mirror.  

Nigel Farage continues to ride high in the polls, but without any discernible conference “bump”. His Reform conference, while drawing more businesses and public affairs professionals, was still dominated by grassroots members energised by their local election gains earlier this year. And as for Ed Davey, he performed yet another publicity stunt that most of us have already forgotten.

Party conferences matter hugely while they’re happening. For a few frenetic days, it’s Glastonbury for political geeks with every think tank, pressure group and special interest hosting a reception, panel, or “fringe” event to push their own agenda.  

The conference floor and fringe become a temporary capital of political intrigue. But such scrutiny can easily backfire. The media, ever alert for the scent of a story, will seize on the faintest whiff of internal tension. The Labour conference in Liverpool provided a perfect example, with speculation swirling around Andy Burnham and a supposed challenge to Keir Starmer’s leadership.  

So the roadshow is over for another year and aside from headline grabbing announcements, was there really anything we learnt for the built environment industry? As the governing party, Labour rolled out its existing mission to grow the economy and pledge on building £1.5 million homes. Conservatives’ Stamp Duty offer would help drive house buying. Reform’s pro-growth agenda is disseminating down to their councillors from the Conference as they try to position themselves as a “Government-in-waiting”. Of these, only the Stamp Duty announcement was a surprise to the industry, with the others repeating familiar pledges and slogans.  

So, all eyes will now be on the Budget next month to understand what policies Rachel Reeves will announce to help deliver economic growth and those homes… and if they will work!

To receive updates from our Political Monitoring Unit or to arrange a political insights session, please contact Chris Peacock and Parv Gandham.  

28 October 2025